<p>I can't imagine I'm even typing this. We went through the whole app. process, Attended for 2 years and due to circumstances our child felt were beyond our control decided to leave. Their opinion was that the school had changed so much it was no longer the school they recognized. In the end the school did everything they could to keep our child on, but nothing changed her mind. It was a little too little too late..... I'm somewhat remorseful but I get it, and I understand the issues at hand (which makes it better). We just never imagined this happening...</p>
<p>Now we're off to a private IB school for the final 2 years, we'll see how it goes, we all agree the first two years at BS were very helpful and we wouldn't necessarily change the first year and even through adversity the second year (not with grades) we wouldn't change that either. But now we're off to IB, which is no cakewalk.... BS was good and great at times but our child decided on their own to move on (with our backing no matter the decision). I'm just quite frankly shocked... I guess I'm writing this so parents looking at the upside and downside know that even when it's the perfect school, it still may not work for whatever reason. I haven't read many stories like ours, so I wanted to put it out especially after all the help we received here on CC.</p>
<p>Mauiluver, I appreciate that you might prefer not to say what school it was, but would you mind telling us a little bit about what kinds of things changed so much that your daughter felt it wasn’t the same school any more? I’m just wondering what kinds of things to be on the look out for (not that I could do anything about it, but wondering if there are any red flags).</p>
<p>Exactly. Life goes on. I’ve never really been in with the crowd that reminisces on high school as “the best days of our lives.” I’ll be happy to see my kids thru to the other side and off to more mature pursuits where their level of self determination is a key factor in how they proceed.</p>
<p>As a child psychiatrist who has worked with lots of kids and families I can tell you with some certainty that high school is the "worst days of our lives’’ for the majority of us. That being said I’ve learned that life gives you many chances to be successful. The roadmap for your student just took an exit off one highway and you’re now on to another. All roads lead to Rome for smart kids…you’ll see. You are not leaving something wonderful behind…you are heading toward something more wonderful instead. Stay positive. Support and love, love, love your child/student. It will all be okay.</p>
I just wanted to post an update… this year has gone spectacularly in an IB program. Apparently this is how our child learns best. She’s taking 4 honors courses and her grades have rarely been better… Life is a very funny thing. Another plus, our daughter has realized she can count on herself to make the hard choices, to deviate from the plan and come out ahead. I really wish I’d known about the IB program earlier for her but it’s not big in this country. She’s looking abroad for college (she’s a junior now) and all we have to say is IB and they are interested. So in hard time and good it’s worked out the way it was meant to, we just weren’t so sure at the beginning Thank you all.
Glad to hear the update is positive! Kids are resilient. The same skills and drive that lead them into the BS environment can certainly be channeled in other ways, especially with the support of loving parents and family. Well done to all of you–“A bend in the road is not the end of the road.”
Thank you all.